Mordenkainen Presents Updated Stat Blocks

The new Dungeons and Dragons supplement, Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse, reprints a large number of existing monsters with updated statblocks. Here’s a review of who’s there and what’s changed. I will only list values that have changed, and traits/abilities that have been added or removed.

I won’t be listing the change of adding “typically” from the alignment, and any creatures whose stat blocks only have changes to their organization will be listed at the end of the article.

Abishai, Black

Added:
Magic Weapons. The abishai’s weapon attacks are magical.
Shadow Stealth. While in dim light or darkness, the abishai can take the Hide action as a bonus action.

Changed:
Multiattack. The wording is changed, but the same attacks are allowed.

Notes: The ability to hide as a bonus action is a great addition, allowing the abishai to attack with advantage once per turn, using it’s Creeping Darkness to trigger this ability. Magic weapons isn’t likely to find a resistance to overcome, so I’m not sure how much of a difference it will make.

Abishai, Blue

Added:
Blue Abishai is a Wizard and a Devil
Lightning. Ranged Spell Attack. +12 to hit, range 120ft., one target. Hit 36 (8d8) lightning damagel.

Removed:
Magic Weapons. The abishai’s weapon attacks are magical.
Quarterstaff. That’s ok. It was lame has heck.

Changed:
Hit Points: Increased to 202 (27d8 + 81)
The Blue Abishai’s Spellcasting has been reduced to the following list
-At will: disguise self, mage hand, minor illusion
-2/day each: charm person, dispel magic, greater invisibility, wall of force
Multiattack. The abishai make three bite or lightning attacks.

Notes: The new blue abishai is a big improvement. It plays faster and hits much harder.

Abishai, Green

Removed:
Magic Weapons. The abishai’s weapon attacks are magical.
Longsword. It was a piece of trash, you’re better off without it.

Changed:
Hit Points: Increased to 195 (26d8 + 78)
Innate Spellcasting has been replace with Spellcasting as an action, and the following spells:
-At will: alter self, major image
-3/day each: charm person, detect thoughts, fear
-1/day each: confusion, dominate person, mass suggestion
Multiattack. The abishai makes two Fiendish Claw attacks, or it makes one Fiendish Claw attack and uses Spellcasting.
Claws. replaced with Fiendish Claw. Poison damage increased from 2d10 to 3d10.

Notes: Poison damage is tricky against high level PCs. I don’t think the increases to this creatures attacks are sufficient. Needs moar attacks.

Abishai, Red

Added:
Immunity to Frightened

Removed:
Magic Weapons. The abishai’s weapon attacks are magical.
Morningstar. Good choice, it was the only bad part of the red abishai.

Changed:
Hit Points increased to 289 (34d8 + 36)
Multiattack. The abishai makes one Bite attack and one Claw attack, and it can use Frightful Presence or Incite Fanaticism.
Incite Fanaticism. The abishai chooses up to four other creatures within 60 feet of it that can see it. Until the end of the Abishai’s next turn, each of those creatures makes attack rolls with advantage and can’t be frightened.

Notes: The red abishai is even better than before, and it was pretty great before. The limiting Incite Fanaticism to one turn is unfortunate. The minute that it lasted before was enough for it to last the duration of most combat encounters, and you could put the red abishai on the front line and not worry about losing the benefit. now you’ll have to mind your abishai a little more carefully….

Abishai, White

Removed:
Magic Weapons. The abishai’s weapon attacks are magical.

Changed:
Multiattack. The abishai makes one Bite attack, one Claw attack, and one Longsword attack.
Longsword. Damage changed from slashing to force.

Notes: The white abishai is the least changed of all the abishai. I think it could have used a little more damage.

Alhoon

Changed:
An alhoon is now a Mind Flayer, and a Wizard.

Notes: That’s it? C’mon! Did I miss something.

Alkilith

Added:
Abyssal Rift. If the alkilith surrounds a door, window, or similar opening continuously for 6d6 days, the opening becomes a permanent portal to a random layer of the Abyss.

Changed:
Hit Points: increased to 157 (15d8 + 90).

Notes: Not any big changes, but that abyssal rift ability is pretty snazzy.

Allip

Added:
Unusual Nature. The allip doesn’t require air, food, drink or sleep.

Note: Oddly, this is one of the few monsters I can’t remember ever using in battle. I’m not sure if this one needed to be strengthened. The change to unusual nature doesn’t make a lot of difference mechanically, but it is a good clarification.

Amnizu

Removed:
Disruptive Touch.

Changed:
Innate Spellcasting changed to Spellcasting with the following spells:
-At will: command
-3/day each: dominate monster
-1/day each: feeblemind
Multiattack. The amnizu uses Blinding Rot or Forgetfulness. It also makes two Taskmaster whip attacks.
Poison Mind renamed Blinding Rot.
Forgetfulness now deals 26 (4d12) psychic damage on a failed save, on top of the previously published effects.

Notes: Most of these changes streamline play of the monster. Running the Coliseum, I end up playing a lot of monsters without a lot of prep, so I appreciate this approach. Other publishers monsters have significantly more complicated stat blocks, which is great if you have time to prep, but can make it hard to run a monster on the fly.

Annis Hag

Added:

Removed:
Resistance to bludgeoning piercing and slashing damage from nonmagical weapons.

Changed:
Hit Points: increased to 90 (12d10 + 4)
Innate Spellcasting changed to Spellcasting with no change in spells available.

Notes: 15 additional Hit Points doesn’t do a whole lot to offset taking away resistance to BPS, but by the time PCs are fighting one of these, they have magic weapons anyways, so maybe it is a net gain for the annis hag?

Archdruid

Added:
Multiattack. The archdruid makes three Staff or Wildfire attacks. It can replace one attack with a use of spellcasting.
Staff. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) bludgeoning damage plus 21 (6d6) poison damage.
Wildfire. Ranged Spell Attack: +9 to hit, range 120 ft., one target. Hit: 26 (6d6 + 5) fire damage, and the target is blinded until the start of the druid’s next turn.

Changed:
Hit Points: Increased to 154 (28d8+28)
Spellcasting spell list significantly reduced, and treated as innate spellcasting:
-At will: beast sense, entangle, speak with animals
-3/day each: animal messenger, dominate beast, faerie fire, tree stride
-1/day each: commune with nature (as an action), mass cure wounds
Change Shape has been reworded for clarity, but seems to have no change in mechanics.

Notes: This is a really big restructuring. The druid has very few spells, and deals a lot of damage with its new attacks. I’m excited to give this one a try in combat. The old druid didn’t fare well in the arena…

Archer

Changed:
Multiattack: The archer makes two Shortsword or Longbow attacks.
Archer’s Eye:

Archer’s Eye (3/Day). Immediately after making an attack roll or a damage roll with a ranged weapon, the archer can roll a d10 and add the number rolled to the total.

Notes: The changes to archer’s eye allow any ranged weapon, and allows the result of the 1d10 roll to be applied to either attack or damage, which is a good change. This will make archer’s a lot more dangerous.

Armanite

Removed:
Magic Weapons. The armanite’s weapon attacks are magical.

Changed:
Hit Points: Increased to 94 (9d10 + 45)
Claw now deals more damage, 10 (2d4 +5) slashing and 9 (2d8) lightning damage
Hooves has been updated to add the prone condition: on a hit, a large or smaller creature must succeed on a DC 16 strength check or be knocked prone.
Lightning Lance now deals more damage: 36 (8d8) lightning damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one.

Notes: More Hit Points, more damage on attacks. Nice.

Aurochs

Changed:
Gore text now contains the Charge text.

Notes: This is the first instance where the Charge trait has been rolled into the Gore attack text. This definitely makes for a cleaner looking stat block.

Astral Dreadnought

Added:
Unusual Nature. The dreadnought doesn’t require air, food, drink, or sleep.

Removed:
Magic Weapons. An astral dreadnought’s weapon attacks are magical.

Changed:
Bite damage type changed from piercing to force.
Claw damage type changed from piercing to force.
Psychic Projection damage increased from 15 (2d10 + 4) to 26 (4d10 +4).

Notes: Most of the changes for the dreadnought are cosmetic. The increased damage for the Psychic Projection is a good change, although I still think the damage is a little low for a CR 21 legendary action that takes up all three actions. It is psychic, so at least most PCs won’t be resistant to it.

Babau

Removed:
Spear, it was mundane and pretty much useless

Changed:
Multiattack now allows two Claw attacks, with the optional .replacement of one claw attack with Spellcasting or Weakening Gaze.
Claw attack now deals 6 (1d4 + 4) slashing damage plus 2 (1d4) acid damage.

Notes: Simplified is good. A little more damage on those claws would have been nice.

Bael

Added:

Removed:
Magic Weapons. Bael’s weapon attacks are magical.
Spells : animate dead, inflict wounds, counterspell.

Changed:
Dreadful renamed Dread. This ability no longer takes bonus action to activate. Additionally, Bael can choose to allow a creature to pass the saving throw automatically, and creatures pass automatically if Bael is incapacitated.
Hellish Morningstar necrotic damage reduced to 9 (2d8).
Teleport and Awaken Greed legendary actions combined into Fiendish Magic. Bael uses Spellcasting or Teleport.

Balhannoth

Changed:
Bite damage reduced from 25 (4d10 + 3) to 19 (3d10 + 3).

Notes: The bite was really dangerous, and you could use it 3 times as a legendary action. I hate to see an attack get nerfed, but I think this is reasonable.

Banderhobb

Added:
Multiattack. The banderhobb makes one Bite attack and one Tongue attack. It can replace one attack with a use of Shadow Step.

Changed:
Bite damage reduced from 22 (5d6 + 5) to 15 (3d6 + 5).
Shadow Step no longer allows the banderhobb to make an attack

Note: These changes result in a net increase in the damage per turn of the banderhobb, and make the stat block a lot clearer. I approve!

Baphomet

Removed:
Magic Weapons. Baphomet’s weapon attacks are magical.
Reckless. At the start of his turn, Baphomet can gain advantage on all melee weapon attack rolls during that turn, but attack rolls against him have advantage until the start of his next turn.
Spells: detect magic, hunter’s mark.

Changed:
Hit Points increased from 275 (19d12 + 52).
Multiattack now includes Frightful Presence.
Heartcleaver damage type changed from slashing to force.
Gore now includes the text of the Charge trait.
Charge legendary action now allows Baphomet to move without provoking an opportunity.

Notes: Baphomet was underpowered to begin with. Removing Reckless and Hunter’s Mark definitely streamlines the stat block, but the damage reduction caused by doing so isn’t addressed anywhere. It would have been nice to see an increase in power for Heartcleaver.

Bard

Added:
Spells: dancing lights, prestidigitation.
Multiattack. The bard makes two Shortsword or Shortbow attacks. It can replace one attack with a use of Spellcasting.
Cacophony (Recharge 4–6). Each creature in a 15-foot cube originating from the bard must make a DC 12 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes 9 (2d8) thunder damage and is pushed up to 10 feet away from the bard. On a successful save, a creature takes half as much damage and isn’t pushed.

Removed:
Song of Rest.
Spells: friends, vicious mockery, healing word, heroism, thunderwave, shatter.

Notes: I finally see what they are doing here. Traditional spellcasting types have been traded in for the new Spellcasting, which always seems to exclude any spells with spell attack rolls. The spell list are reduced in size and some of the spells are converted to actions. In this sheet, the thunderwave spell is converted into the action Cacophany. It’s an interesting approach, but I think taking away heroism, healing word, and vicious mockery goes a little to far for the bard. I also have to questions the sense of adding spells like dancing lights and prestidigitation when trying to streamline a stat block. Those spells are better for roleplay, and don’t have much if any utility in a combat encounter.

Barghest

Added:
Multiattack. The barghest makes one Bite and one Claw attack.

Removed:
Keen Small. The barghest as advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell.

Changed:
Hit Points reduced to 60 (8d10 + 6)
Soul Feeding changed, removing the final sentence, “Once a creature’s soul is digested, however, no mortal magic can return that humanoid to life.” Additionally, fey can now be a target of this ability.

Note: With resistance to non-magical BPS, these can be pretty tough at CR 4. It’s probably reasonable to reduce it’s Hit Points, but I still hate to see it.

Berbalang

Changed:
Hit Points increased from 38 (11d8 – 11) to 49 (14d8 – 14).
Languages, removed, “but barely speaks”

Notes: Minimal changes here. Glad to it has a few more hit points.

Bheur Hag

Added:
Multiattack. The hag makes two Slame or Frost Shard attacks.
Frost Shard. Ranged Spell Attack: +6 to hit, range 60 ft., one target. Hit: 30 (6d8 + 3) cold damage, and the target’s speed is reduced by 10 feet until the start of the hag’s next turn.

Removed:
Ray of Frost removed from spell list.

Notes: This stat block has been significantly restructured for clarity. I didn’t list changes where an item was moved to another part of the block with no other changes.

Blackguard

Added:
Smite. Immediately after the blackguard hits a target with an attack roll, the blackguard can force that target to make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the target suffers one of the following effects of the blackguard’s choice:

Blind. The target is blinded for 1 minute. The blinded target can repeat the save at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
Shove. The target is pushed up to 10 feet away and knocked prone.

Removed:
Spells removed: protection from good and evil, thunderous smite, branding smite, and blinding smite.

Changed:
Hit Points reduced from 153 (18d8 + 72) to 119 (14d8 + 56).
Glaive now deals an additional 9 (2d8) necrotic damage.

Notes: I like the streamlining here.

Bodak

Added:
Damage Immunity to necrotic.
Unusual Nature. The bodak doesn’t require air, food, drink or sleep.

Removed:
Damage Immunity to lightning.

Notes: mostly reorganization here, and maybe the correction of a type on the Damage Immunities.

Boggle

Changed:
Oil Puddle now specifies that the oil is nonflammable.
Boggle Oil now specifies that the oil is nonflammable.

Notes: Damn, I wish a player had set one of my boggles on fire with it’s own oil.

Boneclaw

Added:
Resistances to bludgeoning, piercing and slashing from nonmagical attacks.
Unusual Nature. The boneclaw doesn’t require air, food, drink or sleep.

Changed:
Hit Points increased from 127 (17d10 + 34) to 150 (20d10 + 40)
Piercing Claw deals and additional 11 (2d10) necrotic damage.
Shadow Jump now is now Recharge 5-6.

Notes: Shadow jump must have been really nasty when you could do it every turn to justify an additional 22 damage per turn. Nice.

Bulezau

Changed:
Rotting Presence no longer deals an addition 1 point for each bulezau within 30 feet.
Barbed Tail now deals and additional 4 (1d8).

Notes: More damage on attacks is good. Less damage from rotting presence is too bad, but I’ll take it.

Cadaver Collector

Added:
Unusual Nature. The collector doesn’t require air, food, drink or sleep.

Changed:
Summon Specters now summons 1d4 specters instead of 1d6 specters.

Notes: Cadaver collectors are nasty pieces of work, and easily one of my favorite monster. They are tough on their own, without summoning specters. I think the reduction here is fair.

Canoloth

Removed:
Magic Weapons. The canoloth’s weapon attacks are magical.

Changed:
Bite now deals 7 (1d6 + 4) piercing damage plus 18 (4d8) force damage.
Claw now deals 7 (1d6 + 4) slashing damage plus 9 (2d8) force damage.
Tongue now deals 10 (1d12 + 4) piercing damage plus 7 (2d6) acid damage.

Notes: Overall damage per turn is the same. Some of it was just moved to alternative damage types.

Catoblepas

Added:
Skill Perception +5

Removed:
Keen Smell. The catoblepas has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell.

Notes: My guess would be that Keen Smell was judged to be too confusing to apply, and so was just replaced proficiency in perception.

Choldrith

Added:
Cleric now included in creature type.

Notes: I think maybe the listing of Cleric and Wizard is supposed to help give the DM a sense of how these creatures fit into combat encounters.

Clockwork Bronze Scout (formerly Bronze Scout)

Added:
Unusual Nature. The clockwork doesn’t require air, food, drink, or sleep.

Removed:
Damage Immunity to bludgeoning, piercing and slashing from nonmagical attacks that aren’t adamantine.

Changed:
Hit Points increased from 18 (4d8) to 36 (8d8).

Notes: Less damage immunity, more hit points seems like a fair trade. Requiring magical/adamantine weapons was probably a bit much for a CR 1 monster.

Clockwork Iron Cobra (formerly Iron Cobra)

Added:
Unusual Nature. The clockwork doesn’t require air, food, drink, or sleep.

Removed:
Damage Immunity to bludgeoning, piercing and slashing from nonmagical attacks that aren’t adamantine.

Changed:
Hit Points increased from 45 (7d8 + 4) to 91 (14d8 + 28).

Notes: Less damage immunity, more hit points seems like a fair trade.

Clockwork Oaken Bolter (formerly Oaken Bolter)

Added:
Unusual Nature. The clockwork doesn’t require air, food, drink, or sleep.

Removed:
Damage Immunity to bludgeoning, piercing and slashing from nonmagical attacks that aren’t adamantine.

Changed:
Hit Points increased from 58 (9d8 + 18) to 117 (18d8 + 36).

Notes: C’mon, it’s a CR 5. Let it have the immunity!

Clockwork Stone Defender (formerly Stone Defender)

Added:
Unusual Nature. The clockwork doesn’t require air, food, drink, or sleep.

Removed:
Damage Immunity to bludgeoning, piercing and slashing from nonmagical attacks that aren’t adamantine.
False Appearance. While the stone defender remains motionless against and uneven earthen or stone surface, it is indistinguishable from that surface.

Changed:
Hit Points increased from 52 (7d8 + 21) to 105 (14d8 + 42).

Notes: I’m not sure why they took away False Appearance, but then I’m not sure why it was there in the first place. It seems like an odd fit for this creature.

Cloud Giant Smiling One

Added:
Fly 40 ft. (hover).
Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 21 (3d8 + 8) bludgeoning damage plus 5 (1d10) psychic damage.
Telekinetic Strike. Ranged Spell Attack: +7 to hit, range 240 ft., one target. Hit: 25 (4d10 + 3) force damage.
Cloud Step (Recharge 4-6) The giant teleports, along with any equipment it is wearing or carrying, up to 60 feet into an unoccupied space it can see.

Removed:
Spells: prestidigitation, vicious mockery, cure wounds, disguise self, tasha’s hideous laughter, feather fall, fly, misty step, telekinesis.
Keen Smell, Morningstar, and Rock.

Changed:
Hit Points reduced from 262 (21d12 + 128) to 250 (20d12 + 120).
Control Weather Spell is now at-will.
Spells/Uses:
-At will: detect magic, fog cloud, light, minor illusion
-3/day each: invisibility, silent image, suggestion, tongues
-1/day each: gaseous form, major image
Multiattack. The giant makes two Slam attacks or two Telekinetic Strike attacks.
Change Shape uses the word “transforms” instead of “polymorphs”.

Notes: Wow, this is a huge restructuring for this creature. I’m sad to see some of the spells go, but I really like the direction they’ve taken this creature in. I’m excited to run one in combat!

Corpse Flower

Changed:
Tentacle poison damage reduced from (4d6) to (3d6).

Notes: Minimal changes here.

Cranium Rats

Changed:
Cranium rat is now an Aberration instead of a Beast.

Darkling

Changed:
Dagger additional 2d6 damage no longer requires that the darkling has advantage, and is necrotic instead of piercing.

Notes: As a DM, I approve of more damage.

Darkling Elder

Added:
Scimitar. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) slashing damage plus 7 (2d6) necrotic damage.

Removed:
Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) piercing damage. If the darkling elder had advantage on the attack roll, the attack deals as: extra 10 (3d6) piercing damage.

Notes: More damage per round is a good change. These weren’t strong enough before. I does unfortunately ruin the theme of these creatures a little bit, as they no longer really need the darkness to be threatening.

Death Kiss

Changed:
Hit Points reduced from 161 (17d10 + 68) to 142 (15d10 + 60).
Tentacle damage reduced from 14 (3d6 + 4) to 11 (2d6 + 4).

Notes: At least they didn’t reduce the Blood Drain damage.

Deathlock

Added:
Creature Type now parenthetically notes the creature as a Warlock.
Unusual Nature. The deathlock doesn’t require air, food, drink, or sleep.
Multiattack. The deathlock makes two Deathly Claw or Grave Bolt attacks.
Grave Bolt. Ranged Spell Attack: +5 to hit, range 120 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (2d10 + 3) necrotic damage.

Removed:
Innate Spellcasting and all Patron-Specific Spells.
New Spell List:
-At will: detect magic, disguise self, mage armor, mage hand
-1/day each: dispel magic, hunger of Hadar, invisibility, spider climb

Notes: Deathlock Wights had Grave Bolt before, it looks like that ability has been to all deathlocks. This version of the deathlock should be much more dangerous. I wasn’t super impressed with them previously.

Deathlock Mastermind

Added:
Unusual Nature. The deathlock doesn’t require air, food, drink, or sleep.
Multiattack. The deathlock makes two Deathly Claw or Grave Bolt attacks.

Removed:
Patron Specific Sells removed.
Spells: chill touch, poison spray, arms of hadar, blight, counterspell,crown of madness, hold monster.

Changed:
Grave Bolt damage reduced from 18 (4d8) to 13 (3d8).

Notes: I generally agree with reducing the complexity of stat-blocks, this is one case where I strongly disagree with stripping all of the attack spells, including hold monster. Too far!

Deathlock Wight

Added:
Unusual Nature. The deathlock doesn’t require air, food, drink, or sleep.

Removed:
Spells: misty step.

Changed:
Multiattack. The wight attacks twice with Grave Bolt. (Life Drain is no longer allowed as part of multiattack.)
Grave Bolt damage increased from 7 (1d8+3) to 12 (2d8 + 3).
Life Drain reduced from 9 (2d6 + 2) to 6 (1d8 + 2)

Notes: This ones a bit of a mixed bag. I guess we’ll so how that goes. With a range of 120 ft., a higher damage gravebolt will be pretty nasty. I don’t know why it had to lose misty step though.

Deep Rothé

Added:
Beast of Burden. The rothé is considered to be one size larger for the purpose of determining its carrying capacity.

Changed:
Gore now deals an extra 7 (2d6) piercing damage if the rothé moved at least 20 feet straight towards the target.

Notes: Now my rothé can carry more weight! Hooray!

Deep Scion

Changed:
Multiattack now allows two Battleaxe attacks, or one Bite and one Claw attack.

Note: I liked it better when hybrid for attacks dealt more damage than melee weapon attack. Oh well…

Demogorgon

Added:
Legendary Action: Cast a Spell (Costs 2 Actions). Demogorgon uses Spellcasting.

Removed:
Magic Weapons. Demogorgon’s weapon attacks are magical.

Changed:
Hit Points increased from 406 (28d12 + 224) to 464 (32d12 + 256).
Multiattack now allows Demogorgon to substitute one Gaze attack for one of the two Tentacle attacks.
Tentacle attack now deals force damage instead of bludgeoning damage.
Gaze no longer allows the target to avert it’s gaze to automatically succeed on saving throws.
Hypnotic Gaze No longer prevents the use of Maddening Gaze.
Insanity Gaze is now Confusing Gaze.
Maddening Gaze legendary action is now Gaze.

Notes: Now that the target can’t just look away when Demogorgon uses Gaze, he’s actually dangerous. This is a huge improvement, along with spellcasting as a legendary action.

Derro Savant

Added:
Creature Type now includes (Sorcerer).
Chromatic Beam. The derro launches a brilliant beam of magical energy in a 5-foot-wide line that is 60 feet long. Each creature in the line must make a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw, taking 21 (6d6) radiant damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

Removed:
Spells: acid splash, ray of frost, burning hands, chromatic orb, lightning bolt

Changed:
Creature type changed from Humanoid to Abberation.

Notes: The replacement of all offensive spells with the Chromatic Beam action is interesting. I’m guessing by the name it was originally going to be able to deal various damage types like chromatic orb does. Maybe that seemed to complex, but I would have liked that better. I’m still interested to try a creature that can fire off a radiant damage lightning bolt every turn, but I think this caster has lost a lot of flavor in the change.

Devourer

Added:
Unusual Nature. The devourer doesn’t require air, drink or sleep

Changed:
Hit Points increased from 178 (17d10 + 85) to 189 (18d10 + 90)

Dhergoloth

Removed:
Magic Weapons
Spells: sleep

Notes: Why no sleep spell?

Draegloth

Changed:
Spells: dancing lights is now at will.

Notes: No big changes here. Fairy fire for the people.

Drow Arachnomancer

Removed:
Spells: eyebite, dominate monster, chill touch, eldritch blast, poison spray, conjure animals, crown of madness, dimension door, fear, giant insect, hold monster, vampiric touch, web, witch bolt.

Changed:
Change Shape: The arachnomancer now “transforms” instead of “polymorphs” into a giant spider
Multiattack. The drow makes three attacks, using Bite, Poisonous Touch, Web, or a combination of them. One attack can be replaced by a use of Spellcasting.
Bite is now +8 to attack, and the poison damage is increased from 26 (4d12) to 31 (7d8).
Poisonous Touch damage increased from 28 (8d6) to 35 (10d6).

Notes: Wow. All those spells gone, no additional damage on the first hit of a multiattack, no ranged attacks, and only one additional attack to offset the difference. That’s rough. I’ll see how it stacks up in combat, but so much of the flavor of a spellcaster has been lost…

Drow Favored Consort

Added:
Arcane Eruption. Ranged Spell Attack: +10 to hit, range 120 ft., one target. Hit: 36 (8d8) force damage, and the drow can push the target up to 10 feet away if it is a Large or smaller creature.
Protective Shield (3/Day). When the drow or a creature within 10 feet of it is hit by an attack roll, the drow gives the target a +5 bonus to its AC until the start of the drow’s next turn, which can cause the triggering attack roll to miss.

Removed:
Spells: poison spray, shocking grasp, ray of frost, burning hands, magic missile, shield, gust of wind, misty step, shatter, counterspell, haste, Otiluke’s resilient sphere, cone of cold, chain lightning.
Hand Crossbow.

Changed:
Creature Type now parenthetically includes “wizard”.
Hit Points increased from 225 (30d8 + 90) to 240 ( 32d8 + 96).
Spellcasting. The drow casts one of the following spells, requiring no material components and using Intelligence as the spellcasting ability (spell save DC 18):
-At will: dancing lights, mage armor, mage hand, message
-3/day each: dimension door, fireball, invisibility
-1/day each: darkness, faerie fire, levitate (self only)
Multiattack now allows for three Scimiatar or Arcane Eruption attacks, and one can be replaced with spellcasting.
Scimitar poison damage increased from 18 (4d8) to 27 (6d8).

Notes: I think this is a really successful streamlining of the drow consort. I would have liked to see it keep a few more of it’s offensive spells, but the ability to make two attacks and cast a spell combined with 3 uses of fireball will make for a few ugly rounds of combat for PCs. Also, it really should have kept misty step.

Drow House Captain

Added:
(bonus action) Battle Command. Choose one creature within 30 feet of the drow that the drow can see. If the chosen creature can see or hear the drow, that creature can use its reaction to make one melee attack or to take the Dodge or Hide action.

Changed:
Whip no longer gives allies advantage on attacks.

Notes: I like addition of Battle Command. It’s much better than the gimmicky whip attack the house captain had before. As strong as it is, it would be fair for it to inflict damage, which I’m not sure you could say of the whip attack previously.

Drow Inquisitor

Added:
Creature Type now parenthetically lists Cleric.
Spectral Dagger. The drow conjures a floating, spectral dagger within 60 feet of itself. The drow can make a melee spell attack (+10 to hit) against one creature within 5 feet of the dagger. On a hit, the target takes 9 (1d8 + 5) force damage.
The dagger lasts for 1 minute. As a bonus action on later turns, the drow can move the dagger up to 20 feet and repeat the attack against one creature within 5 feet of the dagger.

Changed:
Hit Points increased from 143 (22d8 + 44) to 149 (23d8 + 46)
Spellcasting reduced to the following:
-At will: dancing lights, detect magic, message, thaumaturgy
-1/day each: clairvoyance, darkness, detect thoughts, dispel magic, faerie fire, levitate (self only), silence, suggestion, true seeing

Notes: I don’t think that adding the spectral dagger offsets the huge number of spells that the inquisitor loses, not just offensive spells, but buffs and healing as well. I think it’s an odd choice to mark this creature as a cleric and then take away most of its cleric abilities.

Drow Matron Mother

Added:
Divine Flame (2/Day). A 10-foot-radius, 40-foot-high column of divine fire sprouts in an area up to 120 feet away from the drow. Each creature in the column must make a DC 20 Dexterity saving throw, taking 14 (4d6) fire damage and 14 (4d6) radiant damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
Lair Actions:

• Perceive Interlopers. The drow projects her mind throughout her lair, marking any potential threats against her or her retinue. Until initiative count 20 of the next round, hostile creatures within the lair can’t become hidden from her and gain no benefit from the invisible condition against her.
• Spectral Web. A glistening spectral spider web erupts from a point the drow can see within 120 feet of her. Each creature within 60 feet of that point must succeed a DC 19 Dexterity saving throw or be restrained for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
• Telekinetic Throw. The drow targets one creature she can see within 60 feet of her and attempts to expel it from her presence. The target must succeed on a DC 19 Strength saving throw or be flung 2d6 × 10 feet through the air. A creature smashed into a solid object takes 1d6 bludgeoning damage for every 10 feet moved. If released in midair, the creature takes falling damage as normal.

Removed:
Magic Resistance

Changes:
Hit Points reduced from 262 (35d8 + 105) to 247 (33d8 + 99).
Multiattack now allows two Demon Staff attacks or one Demon Staff attack and three Tentacle Rod attacks.
Spell List reduced to the following:
-At will: command, dancing lights, detect magic, thaumaturgy
-2/day each: banishment, blade barrier, cure wounds, hold person, plane shift, silence
-1/day each: clairvoyance, darkness, detect thoughts, dispel magic, faerie fire, gate, levitate (self only), suggestion
Summon Servant now summons a yochlol or glabrezu, instead of a retriever. A glabrezu is CR 9, and a retriever is CR 14, so that’s a big nerf. A yochlol is CR 10, so that makes it a little more consistent, but this is nerf on top of nerf for the drow matron mother.
Legendary Actions:
Compel Demon now only costs one legendary action
Cast a Spell now costs two actions to cast any spell, but all the good spells are gone so who cares?

Notes: No magic resistance on a CR 20, eh? Too far, I say! What am I supposed to defend myself against those gods damned PCs with? Happy thoughts? Lolth dammit! No spiritual weapon, no spirit guardians, no death ward, and nothing to make up for the loss of all these offensive spells and buffs. I could go on and on, but you get it. I’ve run a lot of, and the MTF version was not overpowered. I like the addition of lair actions, but they didn’t need to come at such a high price.

Drow Shadowblade

Added:
Devil’s Sight

Changed:
Spells darkness is now 1/day.
Multiattack now allows the drow to make 3 Shadowblade attacks with one being able to be replaced with a Hand Crossbow attack. The drow may also cast darkness as part of the multiattack. Bonus damage effect has been removed.
Shadow Sword now only deals necrotic damage 27 (7d6 + 5), and no longer creates magical darkness.

Notes: I’m sad to see the Shadow Sword’s magical darkness mechanic go, but the addition of Devil’s Sight makes a lot of sense, and will end up making the Shadowblade a lot more dangerous. It’s a shame it doesn’t keep the ability to cast darkness at will. That would be a lot of fun for me.

Ox

Added:
Beast of Burden. The ox is considered to be one size larger for the purpose of determining its carrying capacity.

Changed:
Gore now deals an extra 7 (2d6) piercing damage if the ox moved at least 20 feet straight towards the target.

Notes: Now my ox can carry more weight! Hooray!

Swarm of Cranium Rats

Changed:
Swarm of cranium rats is now an Aberration instead of a Beast.

No Significant Changes

• Champion
• Chitine
• Choker
• Derro
• Dinosaurs – now noted parenthetically in creature type as (Dinosaur)
• Dolphin

Don’t see what you’re looking for yet? The list continues here!

Mordenkainen Presents: Moar to Read!

Wanna know what other monsters are on my Hotlist? Or, maybe instead of the deadliest you want monsters that provide interesting challenges in and out of combat? Check out my Blocklist.